Entry Seventy Six: A whole new world

 My goodness this week flew by so fast! Hi, I hope this week was good for you too! If your week's pacing was anything like this week was for mine I hope that you were enjoying every second of it. There were quite a few shenanigans we got up to in the Lakeway/Douglas Lake trio.

To begin, Elder Newman delegated district council to me this week since I am so incredibly good at cooking up plans on short notice (the key is to plagiarize your past plans). It was honestly an alright district council, definitely a bit sad without Elder McQuiston there.

After district council we had an “exchange” where we dropped off Elder Newman to the Kingsport Elders, and Elder Olsen and I just stayed and worked the area. Still an absolute blast though! Afterwards we were super refreshed too and got straight to work.

We decided that since there are 3 of us now and we're all broken into the mission, we would shoot for 30 finds and 30 member lessons. The sisters were doubting at district council, but we heeded them not hahaha.

We did actually do incredibly well this week, getting 32 finds and 21 member lessons. Even 4 friends at church, and because of a technicality, all of those friends were attending the week they were found (one of the friends has been coming to church for a few months now, he just couldn't meet with missionaries because his wife is antimormon (shout out to Steve, he is awesome!))

Ok there are 2 paths I can go from here, so I think I might briefly list both and then, like a choose your own adventure, you can choose which one to read first. We got Steve 🥸 and then we got the exmormon 🤯

🥸 So, Steve grew up FLDS, and so he already shares many of the beliefs we do. Like I mentioned, he's been coming to church almost weekly since I've been in the area, but we couldn't teach him yet because there was no place for us to meet without his wife going cuckoo. 

Teaching him is a blast because he just wants to learn so badly. He is also just such a jolly fellow! Right now we're trying to help him understand repentance and baptism, since the beliefs he had growing up were super harsh.

🤯 So the ex-mormon was an interesting story. This probably wasn't the best use of our time, but the Elders had a return appointment set up with this one guy before I got transferred in, so I kind of had to jump head first into this conversation. 

But essentially he left the church around 10 years ago and took 30 members with him. We had a very good conversation, and he gave us a copy of the Book of Commandments, promising us we'd lose our testimonies if we read it. 

I personally feel like after this conversation my testimony was unshaken, which I am happy with. This gospel is true, and I am honored to bear the name of Jesus Christ daily!

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming:

Actually I had nothing else, but I wanted to give a little tribute to the Barlows. They just finished their mission this week and I am very very grateful I had around 16 months with them. Some things I will always keep with me are the lessons they have drilled over and over again.

President Barlow has taught me that the key to unlocking heaven's power is exact obedience and personal purity.

Sister Barlow has taught me to claim every single promised blessing for myself. She also taught me that the state of my bed is the state of my head, and that right there is absolute truth! (Yeah Tommy, go make your bed)

I have a testimony that these two were called of God to lead the TKM at the time they were here. The priesthood keys are very real! When one is given a divine commission by Jesus Christ they are given a power that is very peculiar compared with other powers. They become like the Savior.

Each and every calling in the church is of equal importance because they each highlight a particular side of Christ’s character. It is up to whoever holds the calling to magnify it and lean into Christlike attributes, two things I know the Barlows excelled in.

I am so grateful for priesthood leaders, and especially grateful that I had this time with the Barlows. Now time for another great journey for the last bit of my mission with the Croshaws! I close these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

As I have loved you, love one another. This new commandment: love one another. By this shall men know, ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Love you all so so much :)

• Elder Clayton

Now let's see if I took any pictures

I didn’t haha, but here's an epic picture of the Knoxville temple

TKM Mission Office: 

9145 Cross Park Dr Ste. 104, Knoxville, TN 37923

Email Archive:

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